Slum Scum
by sanctum-c
Summary: Barret gets called to school when Marlene punches another student


Written for the prompt_: Barret being a Good Dad™. Maybe Marlene gets in trouble over something and he sits her down and has a talk about why she's acting out. Also we get to see a bit about how Barret thinks, and how he's adapting to civilian life. Also please please please include the implication that she lives with Barret and only visits Cloud and Tifa/ anyone else sometimes the way you would with close, non-parent relatives. Would prefer Dirge of Cerberus not mentioned at all as though it didn't happen._

* * *

Marlene didn't look at him when he arrived at the school. His daughter glared at the floor, huffing and fidgeting when her teacher called Barret into an office and explained the situation. A less than diplomatic estimation of the events in question, the blame for the incident placed squarely on Marlene's shoulders. Those involved only ever mentioned by their forenames, but one specific name sparked a memory from press releases. Inevitable. He forced down the need to protest Marlene's innocence.

Her sentence: suspension for the remainder of the week and a certain amount of probation the week after. After she would return to class normally and nothing more would said on the matter. If she could not adhere- The teacher did not have to spell it out. School places hard won in this era; Marlene more fortunate than some thanks to a few friends in high places. But Reeve remained clear he could only do so many favours without risking accusations of the same kind of destructive nepotism the former Shinra company extolled.

Barret apologised, on tenterhooks. Would his identity impact on any of this? Did Marlene's teacher know him? No. Another parent; called in because however much time passed, however they left Midgar behind, the divide between those who lived on the Upper plates and those who lived in the slums remained. Shinra never wanted to give Avalanche a face; Tifa the only one the world knew. Not worth the cost; how close had she come to passing out in the gas chamber?

More apologies, Marlene still angry when he emerged from the office. Tone softened as he called for her to come with him. So much easier to shout, to demand, to orate. Speeches one of his things when Avalanche was still Avalanche. To recruit, to inspire, to point them towards their target. To attack. Ironic; he would not do so now.

Marlene remained silent on the way home, trailing at Barret's side. Once through the door, she acted like any other day, but with jerkier, sharper, angrier movements. Shoes placed on the rack with more force, lunch-box tossed into the sink with a clatter, and uniform flung across the room when she changed.

"Marlene?"

"What?" She snapped.

"Hey." His tone more severe now. "None of that. You're in trouble."

"But-"

"No." Deep breath. "Please come out here so I can talk to you." Marlene's door remained ajar. "Marlene." A sigh and she pulled the door open, staring up at him with watery eyes. "No crying."

Her eyes crinkled, tears streaming, anger giving way. First impulse; hug her and tell her everything was okay. Bad idea. "I'm sorry."

"I know." He gestured her to the living room. "Please, let's talk about it."

Marlene sniffed, scrubbing her eyes with her fingers. "Okay." Miserable, she padded across the floor and scrambled up onto the sofa; fingers in motion, desperate for a distraction, something to hold, to fidget with. Her hands settled on clutching and clasping each other.

"I'd like you to tell me what happened."

She did not look up. "Miss Trepe already told you."

"She told me what she thinks happened." Barret resisted clenching his hand. Her sympathies entirely with Marlene's alleged victim. Not recognising the context of the retaliation; more history to it than merely a reaction to a play-ground taunt. "I want to hear what you did."

Marlene sniffed back her tears. "I was playing with Fisk and Chara and then-" New tears. "And then Seifer came up and called us slum-scum again. And he laughed at us."

"And then?" Barret prompted. His conversation with Miss Trepe exceptionally clear on Marlene's reaction.

"And- I hit him."

"Miss Trepe says you broke his nose."

"Didn't mean to." Another sniff from Marlene. "It just bled a lot." A quiver in her voice and a new sob. "I just got so angry."

"I know." Barret held her gaze. "But even if he says that to you in future, or anyone else says something like that, you can't hit them." Her eyes widened. "No. Not at all."

"But-"

"Yeah." Barret nodded. "I know I'm not the best person to say this. But things are different now. We don't want to deal with our problems like that."

"But. But he's-"

"I know." Seifer Almasy; current scion of his father's company - one of Shinra's biggest former business partners. His father still one of the richest on the Planet, able to hold onto his wealth when the system caved in on everyone else. Acted above the law now by some accounts. Greed and elitism unfortunately far from Reeve's priority list. And Barret had long since sworn to not take matters into his own hands again.

The Almasy kid likely getting worrying examples, probably lived in some Upper plate palace back in the day. Potentially had a nice plot on the outskirts of Edge or up towards Healin now. "But we don't retaliate like that anymore. He does it again, you tell a teacher." Miss Trepe did not sounded terribly sympathetic, but hopefully the school boasted some more receptive teachers. "Or you tell me and I'll tell the teacher." And better, Reeve. This kind of thing far down his priorities but he needed to know.

"But-"

"Marlene."

"Okay." Her voice so small. Miserable. "I won't hit him."

"Or insult him back." Barret added. "You got in this trouble for hitting him. That kind of kid-" Barret shook his head. "-he'd get you in trouble for saying the wrong thing. I know you probably can't keep away from him, but-" He sighed. "Still bad people in the world."

"Yeah." Marlene cleared her throat. "And they have kids too."

"Yep." Barret nodded.

"Does... does this mean I can't stay with Cloud and Tifa this weekend?" An arrangement for Barret's out of town trips and for the odd event in the Seventh Heaven. The notion of punishment would suggest not letting her go, but more remiss to drag her away from Edge and to the distant WRO facility.

"This time. Might not let you if you get in trouble like this again." Marlene's eyes went wide, but a touch of a smile on her lips. "Okay. Suppose I should start on dinner." Marlene sprang from his lap and headed for her room. "Where do you think you're going?"

"My room?" Marlene frowned.

"Oh no. You can't go to school, but you ain't skipping your learning." He nodded to the kitchen table. "Get your books and read up on what you're going to miss."

"Papa-"

Barret ignored her pleading look. "No dice. School's for learning. Even if you ain't there right now." She looked a little more downcast, trudging to her room and taking her time to return with her excersise book. Huffy, but complying. Barret left her to it and made dinner. Fanciful notions of getting Marlene to another school and away from the Almasy kid died quickly. Balamb Garden was the best in the area; to send her elsewhere would deprive her of the opportunity. The world had changed; Barret and Marlene had to change with it.

Maybe Marlene's classmate would see the light one day. Maybe.


End file.
